Normandy, French Normandie, Historic and cultural region, northwestern France. The capital was Rouen. It has been inhabited since Paleolithic times. Its Celtic population was conquered by the Romans c. 56 bc, when it became part of the province of Lugdunensis. Invaded by Vikings in the 8th century ad, it was ceded to their chief, Rollo, in 911 by Charles III (the Simple) of France. The Vikings became known as Normans, hence the region’s name. William, duke of Normandy, united Normandy and England (Norman Conquest, 1066) and became William I (the Conqueror) of England. Normandy became a province of France in 1450 and was divided into several departments after the French Revolution. It was the site of the World War II Allied invasion of German-occupied France in 1944 (see Normandy Campaign). The region has retained its rural character despite the growth of towns along the lower Seine valley.
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Normandy Invasion Summary
Normandy Invasion, during World War II, the Allied invasion of western Europe, which was launched on June 6, 1944 (the most celebrated D-Day of the war), with the simultaneous landing of U.S., British, and Canadian forces on five separate beachheads in Normandy, France. By the end of August 1944
Norman Conquest Summary
Norman Conquest, the military conquest of England by William, duke of Normandy, primarily effected by his decisive victory at the Battle of Hastings (October 14, 1066) and resulting ultimately in profound political, administrative, and social changes in the British Isles. The conquest was the final
Battle of Hastings Summary
Battle of Hastings, battle on October 14, 1066, that ended in the defeat of Harold II of England by William, duke of Normandy, and established the Normans as the rulers of England. Throughout his reign, the childless Edward the Confessor had used the absence of a clear successor to the throne as a
France Summary
France, country of northwestern Europe. Historically and culturally among the most important nations in the Western world, France has also played a highly significant role in international affairs, with former colonies in every corner of the globe. Bounded by the Atlantic Ocean and the